A Courage's Flame: The Promise
by Knight of Loyalty
Summary: Peace is now returning to the four nations and with the removal of the Fire Nation colonies from the Earth Kingdom things are looking good. That is until things take an unexpected turn by Zuko and with Daisuke's discovery of something amazing.
1. Chapter 1

The Promise Chapter One

I don't own Digimon or Avatar: The Last Airbender

The Promise

"Water, Earth, Fire, Air. Long ago, the four nations lived together in harmony. Then everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked. Only the Avatar, master of all four elements, could stop them. But when the world needed him most, he vanished from the world never to be seen again for one hundred years until the new Avatar, an Airbender named Aang was found by two members of the Water Tribe, Sokka and his sister Katara. They also found a young girl named Daisuke who didn't remember anything but her name and together they travelled the world to help Aang learn the four elements so that he could defeat the Fire Lord.

And with the help of his friends, that happened. Aang defeated Fire Lord Ozai and ended the hundred year war. Zuko the son of Ozai, became the new Fire Lord while Daisuke married him becoming the new Fire Lady. Together with Earth King Kuei, Aang, Zuko and Daisuke promised to restore the four nations to harmony.

"I never realised the Fire Nation has built so many colonies in the Earth Kingdom," Aang said as he, the Gaang and the Earth King were looking at a map of the Earth Kingdom on the wall while Momo was looking at Bosco's hat.

"Yes. For the people of the Earth Kingdom, they're a constant reminder of the War, like an old scar." said the Earth King before looking at Zuko and his eyes widened slightly. "Oh, I….I- Fire Lord Zuko, I meant nothing personal."

"It's fine Earth King Kuei. You're right. After all the pain my father has caused, it's my duty to bring healing to the world. I'll remove these colonies. I'll do whatever it takes." Zuko replied as Daisuke held his hand and gently squeezed it while smiling at her new husband who she had married a month after the defeat of Fire Lord Ozai.

"And I'll help you do that," she said.

"But removing the colonies won't be easy. A lot of people's lives are gonna be disrupted. We need someone to oversee everything, to make sure it goes peacefully. Someone like me!" Aang said with a smile making Zuko and Daisuke look at him.

"You'd really do that?" Zuko asked.

"Of course, I'm the Avatar! Making stuff go peacefully is kind of my thing," he answered with a smile.

"Wonderful! The Avatar's personal involvement will give the entire process an air of hope!" The Earth King said.

"Sokka and I can help!" Katara said while Sokka frowned.

"Aw, I was going to go visit Kyoshi Island," he whined, the Earth King was in thought making everyone look at him.

"It'll be a movement, a movement towards harmony. We will call it….the uh…." he said trying to think of a name.

"The Harmony Restoration Movement!" Sokka said enthusiastically making Toph look at him.

"The Harmony Restoration Movement! I like it!" The Earth King said with a smile.

"What's with you and your goofy names for everything?" Toph asked Sokka who grinned.

"It's a gift," he answered.

"Right sure it is," Toph replied making Sokka pout. Later that day after the meeting with the king, Aang, Sokka, Suki and Katara were on Appa while Daisuke and Zuko were on Flame flying beside the Sky Bison as both flew through the air as night began to fall.

"I thought the Earth King's celebration didn't start for a couple more hours," Zuko said.

"It is but we wanted to take a ride on Appa before that," Sokka replied as Appa dived down with everyone cheering while Flame followed suit making Daisuke, Zuko and Toph scream in either excitement or fright before Appa and Flame rose up into the air.

"Wahoo! Let's go again!" Aang cheered before Suki pointed into the night sky.

"Wait you guys the fireworks are starting!" she told the others and sure enough fireworks were being launched into the sky exploding in an assortment of colours as the Gaang looked on in awe.

"Wow. The view is amazing," Katara said.

"It is! Thanks buddy," Aang said to Appa who roared in reply.

"Wahoo! Yeah!" they heard the sounds of Earth Kingdom citizens celebrating down below.

"Well it sounds like the Earth King announced the Harmony Restoration Movement," Daisuke said looking at the fireworks.

"Hey, wanna know what fireworks are like for me?" Toph asked Zuko who looked at her. "Close your eyes," she said and Zuko did so.

"Boom!" Daisuke shouted making Zuko scream in fright while Daisuke and Toph laughed. "Anyway, don't be such a grump Toph. You're out with your friends on a beautiful night, celebrating the fact that we saved the world," Daisuke told her.

"I guess you're right sis," Toph replied punching her sister in the arm.

"You, too. Your new Majesty Fire Lord Zuko sir! Turn that frown upside down! It's happy time!" Aang said looking over at Zuko who had a small frown on his face.

"Zuko?" Daisuke asked concerned.

"I visited my father in prison the other day...I've been meaning to ask you for a favour Aang," Zuko said.

"Sure, anything," Aang replied with a smile.

"If you ever see me turning into my father, I want you to...I want you to end me," Zuko said.

"What!?" everyone shouted in shock.

"Zuko are you nuts? What about Daisuke you just married her are you really going to ask me to kill you and rob your wife of happiness and her love?" Aang asked.

"Even now, after everything that's happened, my family's legacy is still a part of me. That's why it's my duty to heal the scars that the Fire Nation has left on the world. But the Fire Lord's throne comes with a lot of pressures. And if I'm honest with myself...I need a safety net. The world needs a safety net. That's what I need you to be, Aang. The safety net." Zuko answered.

"But you're not your father Zuko! You're my friend how can you expect me to…" Aang was cut off when Zuko spoke again.

"As your friend, I'm asking you if you ever see my go bad, end me. Promise me, Aang." Aang frowned and looked at the others who all had sad expressions on their faces and he turned to Katara who nodded and he sighed heavily.

"Fine….I promise," Appa and Flame continued to fly through the air as the fireworks continued to explode but the Gaang were no longer in awe.

-One Year Later: The newly built Royal Palace in the Fire Nation Capital.

Zuko and Daisuke were in their chambers in the newly built palace sleeping peacefully until Zuko heard a slight noise and carefully slipped out of the bed leaving his wife undisturbed, he ran out of their room looking down the hallway. "Who's there?!" he quietly shouted but nobody answered. "I'm getting paranoid," he mumbled heading back to Daisuke who had noticed her husband's absence and was waiting for him to return.

"Down with the traitor! Down with the Fire Lord who betrays his own people!" A feminine voice shouted as a masked warrior emerged from the shadows attacking Zuko who stepped back as she threw a chain that had a mace made of earth attached to it which wrapped around Zuko's legs tripping him and he landed on his back, the assassin then stood over Zuko. "I will not allow you to destroy my home traitor," she told him before a blade was held to her throat.

"Don't move." the assassin turned and saw it was Daisuke holding one of her meteor hook swords. "You alright Zuko?" she asked her husband.

"Yeah, thank you," he answered standing up and removing the assassin's mask. "Convince me not to take your life," he told her.

"Go ahead! My family has been loyal to yours for generations! By getting rid of me, you would simply complete your betrayal!" the assassin shouted.

"What's your name?" Daisuke asked causing the assassin to glare at her.

"Not that it won't be said for much longer, my name is Kori and my father is the mayor of Yu Dao."

"Yu Dao….the first of the Fire Nation colonies." Zuko said.

"Yes, my home! And now you and the Avatar are going to destroy it with your precious Harmony Restoration Movement!" Kori said making Zuko look at his wife who nodded slowly putting her hook sword away before some guards arrived and took Kori away.

"We'd better take her back to Yu Dao, I want to stop any problems before they become too big to end peacefully," Zuko said and Daisuke nodded as both headed back to bed. Several days later in the city of Yu Dao, two Fire Nation soldiers walked behind Kori who was now in chains and they continued walking until a man wearing noble robes ran over.

"Stop, stop!" he shouted as Kori was pushed towards him. "Kori! Where have you been!? Your mother and I have been worried sick!" he told Kori before looking at the two soldiers behind his daughter. "Wait—who are these men? And why are you in chains?" he asked worried.

"I went to see someone about our current problem father," Kori answered.

"Who?" he asked as Kori glared behind her.

"Him." She snarled and her father looked and gasped seeing Daisuke and Zuko wearing their Fire Lord and Fire Lady robes approaching.

"Fire Lord Zuko and Fire Lady Daisuke!" he exclaimed.

"So you're Mayor Morishita." Daisuke said. "Your daughter snuck into our home and tried to kill my husband," she informed the mayor who looked at his daughter stunned.

"Kori?" he asked.

"Someone had to do something!" Kori answered before her father got on his knees and bowed in front of Daisuke and Zuko.

"My sincerest apologies for my daughter's rash behaviour, Fire Lord! Have mercy!" he begged.

"I should have this entire village burned down," Zuko threatened before Kori got in his face.

"Why bother? The Harmony Restoration Movement will accomplish the same thing without you having to lift a finger!" she shouted angrily.

"Why can't you colonials get it through your thick skulls?! The Harmony Restoration Movement is a means to peace!" Zuko shouted back as the mayor stood up.

"P-peace?! Peace for whom?! With all due respect, Your Majesty, my family has lived on this land for generations! This city was built on our blood and sweat! We have as much a right to be here as anyone else!" He told Zuko and Daisuke.

"You're Fire Nation citizens! You should live in the Fire Nation!" Zuko replied.

"You're right, Fire Lord! We **are** Fire Nation citizens! And I'll tell you this – **your father** would never have let the Avatar and the Earth King bully him into something so obviously bad for his own nation's citizens!" Mayor Morishita said making Daisuke and Zuko share a glance as they thought back to when they visited Ozai after Zuko was crowned Fire Lord.

-Flashback Begin-

Ozai was sitting in his cell leaning against the wall in the prison when the door opened and Daisuke and Zuko walked through and looked at him.

"I should count myself lucky. The new Fire Lord and his traitorous wife grace me with their presence," Ozai sarcastically said.

"You should count yourself lucky that the Avatar spared your life," Zuko told him. "And who I choose to marry is none of your business, I love Daisuke with all my heart, and nothing you say will change that," Zuko told him.

"Banishing Zuko was the best thing you could have done for his life. It put him on the right path. Perhaps your time in here could do the same for you," Daisuke told him.

"Why are you two really here?" Ozai asked them.

"Because you're going to tell us something. Where is my mother?" Zuko asked making Ozai smirk.

"You ought to bring me some tea, Zuko. We'll talk while sipping from steaming little cups, much like you did with my traitorous brother. I'll give you advice on how to be a good Fire Lord. Wouldn't that be nice? Perhaps even the subject of your mother will come up." He answered before Daisuke frowned.

"Come on Zuko, we don't need his help to find your mother or how for you to be Fire Lord," she said and Zuko nodded and both began walking out of the room before Ozai spoke up again.

"Do you think being Fire Lord is easy?! The throne comes with many pressures, and those pressures will change you! But if you can stand the heat, you'll become something **more.** Of all the people in the world, I have the wisdom you need, the wisdom of experience! Be honest with yourself, Zuko – Do you really believe you can handle it all on your own? You'll be back. And I'll be here waiting for you. **Son.** " He said before the door shut behind Zuko and Daisuke.

-End Flashback-

Zuko charged the Mayor pinning him to a wall with his left arm while he held a fire dagger in his right hand. "I'm not my father!" he shouted.

"No, young man. You're not. Fire Lord Ozai had many faults, but he was never a **coward.** He was never atraitor and he would never marry a traitor either," Mayor Morishita said glaring at Daisuke with hatred. Meanwhile off the coast of the Fire Nation, Aang was flying Appa above a Fire Nation ship which Sokka and Katara were on along with a group of people from another Fire Nation colony while the Mayor of the colony and a few older members of the colonists were on Appa.

"Don't worry, Mayor Nishi! My team and I have helped dozens of Fire Nation colonies move back to your homeland already. They've all loved coming back!" Aang said happily to the nervous Mayor.

"Those colonies were young. Their people had no roots in the Earth Kingdom." She replied.

"Things are different in the Fire Nation now, you'll see! Fire Lord Zuko's reintroducing classic Fire Nation culture to his people. You'll learn so much about your past by living here. And you'll have fun, too!" Aang told her with a smile.

"If you're sure Avatar Aang," Mayor Nishi said and soon Aang, Sokka and Katara were helping to unload when some soldiers marched over.

"Stop! Stop unloading, are you colonials!" the soldier at the front asked Mayor Nish.

"Yes," she answered.

"Return to the Earth Kingdom, by order of the Fire Lord!" the soldier ordered causing Aang to drop some crates he was lifting with his Airbending.

"What!?" he, Katara and Sokka asked the soldier.

"Fire Lord Zuko has officially withdrawn his support of the Harmony Restoration Movement!" the soldier answered.

"We need to go see Zuko and Daisuke right now," Katara told Aang who nodded and he along with Katara and Sokka climbed onto Appa who flew off back to the Earth Kingdom determined to get some answers from Zuko. Meanwhile in the Earth Kingdom outside the city of Yu Dao was Toph's new MetalBending academy where she would train any Earthbender who has the potential of being able to bend metal and her three students who were named Penga, Ho Tun and The Dark One were looking out the window at the crowd gathering at the gates of Yu Dao.

"I wanna know what's happening!" Penga exclaimed.

"Whatever it is, it's bad! Bad! The city is probably doomed! We're probably doomed!" Ho Tun said worried while The Dark One simply sighed.

"I hate doom," he said before Toph stomped sending a pillar of earth up sending her three students into the air before landing the ground with a thud.

"How are you lily livers going to learn MetalBending by staring out a window?! Get back to practice!" she shouted at them.

"Sifu Toph, something's happening in Yu Dao and I wanna know what," Penga said as Toph walked to the window.

"Hm you're right something is going on down there, I can hear it," she said before running out of the building. "I'm going to check it out. Stay put and do your forms! If you don't, you're really gonna get it when I come back!" she then heard Appa roaring as he flew towards Yu Dao and she launched herself into the air with her Earthbending and landed on Appa's saddle. "Hey guys," she greeted making Katara hug her tightly.

"Toph, I can't believe how long it's been!" she said.

"I missed you guys too," Toph replied.

"I heard you started your own MetalBending School," Sokka said and Toph nodded.

"The Beifong Metalbending Academy! You guys just flew over it! I heard Appa, so I had to come say hi!" she answered.

"Wow! Your own school, how's that going for you?" Sokka asked and she shrugged.

"Meh," was her answer as Sokka looked over at Toph's school.

"I'm so glad you're here, Toph. Aang needs all the support he can get right now, because of what he might have to—," Katara said.

"Hey where is Twinkle Toes?" Toph asked before she heard Momo chatter from beside Aang who was on Appa's head. "Oh there he is,"

"Zuko's changed his mind on the Harmony Restoration Movement." Katara said.

"You're kidding…there's no way big sis would let him do that," Toph said.

"We know, but nonetheless. He's holed himself and Daisuke up in Yu Dao with a bunch of his soldiers. He won't let anyone in or out. That's where we're headed." Sokka replied.

"So that's what's going on! The lily livers-I mean, my students were talking about it. Zuko started to act like his old man Ozai then," Toph said. "But I still don't believe it, Daisuke would notice and would stop him before he'd do something like this,"

"We don't know anything yet, that's why we're going to talk to them," Sokka said while Katara looked at Aang who was meditating.

"But Aang's meditating on what he might have to do—because of the promise he made," she said as Aang's cosmic energy met with Roku's.

"You've done your duty. The war is over. And yet the world is still not at peace." Roku said and Aang nodded sadly. "I'm sorry, Aang. You are still dealing with the consequences of my own indecisiveness."

"Avatar Roku, I never should've made that promise to Zuko. I mean I didn't even kill Ozai, and he was evil all the way through. How am I supposed to kill the husband to my Firebending teacher? My friend? What kind of person would I be?" Aang asked.

"A person who keeps his promises. Zuko was in his clearest moment when he asked you for that promise. He knew what was at stake as did Daisuke when her husband asked. All those lives that have been lost in the last hundred years ... I could have saved them. I had so many chances. Sozin almost never had his guard up when he was with me." Roku answered with regret.

"Are you saying you regret killing Fire Lord Sozin?" Aang asked his past life.

"I am," he answered.

"But he was your friend," Aang said.

"More than my friend, he was like a brother to me. But because of him, the world burned. When you are in a position of power, you must put the needs of the world above your own. Zuko, at one time at least, understood this." Roku replied.

"I'll go to Yu Dao and talk to Daisuke and Zuko because we're friends and that's what friends do," Aang said.

"Remember my advice to you Aang, you must be decisive. A promise is a promise," Roku said before he vanished and Aang returned to his body just as Appa landed on the ground outside of Yu Dao behind the crowd who were shouting.

"Fire Nation out! Harmony now!" they shouted, Sokka and Katara then noticed Longshot and on his shoulders was Smellerbee.

"Hey it's Smellerbee, what's he doing here?" Sokka asked.

"You mean what's she doing here," Katara corrected him.

"That's what I said. What's she doing here," Sokka replied making his sister sweatdrop as Smellerbee looked at Aang and smiled.

"Hey everyone it's the Avatar!" she exclaimed and the crowd began cheering for Aang as he walked over. "Aang! We were hoping you would come! So what's the plan of attack? The Freedom Fighters are at your service!" she told him.

"I appreciate your confidence, Smellerbee. But I need to talk to Daisuke and Zuko," Aang replied.

"What?! The time for talking was over as soon as the Fire Lord and his wife broke with the Harmony Restoration Movement! Besides, you're not getting into that city without a fight! Fire Nation troops are everywhere!" Smellerbee shouted.

"I'm sure they had a reason for it," Aang said opening his glider and turning to Katara. "Ready sweetie?" he asked.

"I'm ready sweetie," Katara said as Aang wrapped his arm around her waist and both flew over the wall of Yu Dao.

"Sweetie, seriously?" Toph asked.

"I know right? So oogie," Sokka answered as Aang and Katara landed in Yu Dao with Fire Nation soldiers approaching them.

"Flamio, Hotmen," Aang greeted.

"This city is under the protection of the Fire Lord himself! No one may enter without his express permission, not even the Avatar! Leave now." One of the soldiers ordered them.

"Please I just wish to talk to Fire Lord Zuko and Fire Lady Daisuke," Aang said peacefully.

"You were warned," The soldier said raising a hand to Aang, he then fired a column of fire at Aang who leapt over the attack, he landed and ducked when the solider kicked flames at him. Aang stomped on the ground and raised his arm trapping the soldier's foot with earth making the other soldiers look in shock.

"What're you dolts waiting for? Attack!" the trapped soldier commanded, as the fight was going on Daisuke walked past with Suki in her Kyoshi warrior outfit as her bodyguard and both saw the soldiers about to attack and sighed, Daisuke raised her right arm and launched a stream of golden fire between the soldiers, Aang and Katara as she did this blue lightning began forming around the fire shocking Daisuke and Suki but Daisuke stopped the lightning before it could get out of control.

"Okay what is going on?" Daisuke asked walking towards the soldiers with Suki.

"Suki what're you doing here?" Aang asked.

"I'm Daisuke's bodyguard," Suki answered. "I offered to when I found out about the assassination attempts on her and Zuko,"

"I can't imagine why," Aang said sarcastically as Zuko approached. "Zuko what is wrong with you, why did you withdraw support for the Harmony Restoration Movement?" he asked walking over to Zuko.

"Calm down Aang," Zuko said. "Let's walk and talk I need to show you something," he said turning and walking off with Aang, Katara, Daisuke and Suki following. "Did you know that Yu Dao is the oldest of all the colonies? Many of the Fire Nation families here immigrated over a hundred years ago, when Yu Dao was just a tiny village at the bottom of a valley." Zuko said stopping in front of a blacksmith where an Earth Kingdom young adult was being taught by an elder Fire Nation Blacksmith. "Together with the Earth Kingdom people who were already here, they built all this. Yu Dao now makes the finest metalwork ever produced, using both Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom expertise. This is why this is one of the richest cities in the world,"

"Doesn't seem like the wealth is evenly shared," Katara said watching an Earth Kingdom citizen clean a Fire Noblemen's shoes.

"It's not perfect, Katara, but all the city's people, including the Earth Kingdom people, are better off now than they were a hundred years ago." Daisuke replied.

"The history lesson is great and all, but none of it matters! By betraying the Harmony Restoration Movement, you're going to start another war!" Aang said to her and Zuko.

"Look, Aang, when I came here a week ago, I had planned to personally enforce the removal of Yu Dao from the Earth Kingdom! But then..." Zuko said.

"But then what?" Aang asked.

-Flashback Begins-

"You're going to regret saying that old man, guards seize him!" Zuko ordered the two guards who walked towards Mayor Morishita before a wall of earth erupted in front of them.

"What?" Daisuke asked seeing a woman in a bending stance.

"Fire Lord, please! Forgive my husband's foolishness! I've told him time and time again to control his tongue, but he never does!" the woman said.

"You're Mayor Morishita's wife?! An Earthbender…?" Zuko asked shocked.

"Yes, I'm an Earthbender. As is our daughter." Mrs. Morishita said as a stalagmite rose from the ground breaking Kori's chains and she Earthbent her weapon back to her side only for Flame to pin her to the ground under his leg thinking Kori was about to attack his mother again.

"Whoa easy boy," Daisuke said rushing over rubbing Flame's snout. "I don't think she's going to hurt us again," Flame growled and lifted his leg allowing Kori to get to her feet.

"I may be an Earthbender, but through my father's bloodline I am a Fire Nation citizen! My father taught me to always be loyal to the Fire Nation, to my people _ **.**_ Something you obviously never learned from your father." She spat at Zuko.

"Would your majesty be willing to stay in Yu Dao for a few days? It would be an honour for us to show the Fire Lord and his wife our way of life." Mrs Morishita said bowing to Zuko and Daisuke.

-End Flashback-

"So we stayed." Daisuke told Aang and Katara.

"I saw what my people created here. I saw what the Harmony Restoration Movement would destroy _ **.**_ I changed my mind. Ever since my coronation, I've been having trouble finding peace _ **.**_ Now, I think I've finally figured out why. I'd forgotten about mypeople _ **.**_ I know you defeated the Fire Nation, Aang, but my people still deserve respect!" Zuko told Aang.

"I defeated the Fire Nation?! You mean we defeated the Fire Lord!" Aang replied frustrated.

"It'd be disrespectful to take from them a life they spent generations building! I won't let you do it!" Zuko said.

"Harmony requires four separate nations to balance each other out! You can't have balance if one nation occupies another!" Aang shouted.

"Aang this could be an exception," Daisuke told him,

"What?" Aang asked her.

"Exceptions should be made for all the remaining colonies! Most of them have been around for well over a century. They're older than you, Aang!" Zuko told him.

"You've got to be joking. That would make peace impossible!" Aang replied as Katara got in between the two of them.

"Well, regardless, the Earth King needs to be a part of whatever happens next. If Aang and I can arrange a meeting, will you be there, Zuko?" she asked the Fire Lord.

"I'll be there," Zuko said.

"Talking is good I guess," Aang replied walking off and Zuko walked off another way, Daisuke and Katara both sighed at how the two boys they loved were acting.

"Dai how can you support Zuko's decision when you know it's wrong?" Katara asked making Daisuke sigh and reply.

"Maybe it is wrong or maybe it isn't but no matter what I'll stand by my husband's side. Besides this is part of being Fire Lord, if he makes a few mistakes he needs to learn from them." She then turned and walked off with Suki following her and they soon passed a merchant who was talking to a customer.

""Sorry man but my supplier was again attacked in the mountains. So I still don't have what you need." The merchant said.

""Was it that fire-breathing monster again?" the customer asked which caught Daisuke's attention as she stopped and listened to the conversation as the merchant nodded.

"Yeah it's the third time this week. Man if this keeps up I'll be put out of business or at least will have to find a new supplier who doesn't have to go through those mountains."

"Suki follow me. I need to check those mountains," Daisuke said walking off and Suki followed who was confused.

"Why?" she asked as they found Flame beside the gate to Yu Dao who walked over to his mother and her bodyguard.

"I think that fire-breathing monster might be a dragon," Daisuke replied climbing onto Flame and Suki who was shocked climbed on also and Flame took off toward the mountains.

The end of chapter one

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	2. Chapter 2

The Promise Chapter Two

I don't own Digimon or Avatar: Last Airbender

Chapter Two

I don't own Digimon or Avatar: Last Airbender

Daisuke, Flame, and Suki were making their way up the mountain hoping to find the creature the villagers in Yu Dao were talking about. Daisuke sighed as they reached the top only to find an empty cave and nothing else. "Looks like that rumor was all it was, a rumor." She said sadly as Suki patted her shoulder with a smile.

"Well the important thing is you confirmed it," Daisuke looked at her friend and smiled.

"I know but I was actually hoping that it was a dragon so I could bring it back to the safety of the Fire Nation capital," she said and Suki smiled and nodded.

"Don't worry I'm sure you, me and Flame will find dragons hiding out there in the world, just have-," she was then cut off when a loud roar emitted from deep inside the cave. The two women gasp as Flame growled and stood in front of them like a shield. Just in time too as a large blast of fire came from the cave which Flame blocked with his wings and a second later a large creature emerged from the cave making Daisuke gasp.

"It's a dragon!" Daisuke said happily and sure enough it was a dragon that looked to be the same age as Flame and was the same size only with a slimmer body type, its scales were ruby red in color. "And it's a female," she added. The female dragon growled charging towards Daisuke, Suki and Flame who got in front of the girls and rammed his head against the female dragon's head, the two dragons began fighting each other as Daisuke and Suki backed away watching the fight.

"I can't believe there's a fourth dragon in the world," Suki said amazed.

"Yeah but if I don't stop this, Ran and Shae might be the only ones left," Daisuke replied running towards the two dragons. "Flame stop it!" she shouted causing the female dragon to notice Daisuke and it breathed a jet of fire at her but Suki stepped in front of Daisuke using her shield to protect herself and Daisuke from the dragon's attack. Flame who saw his mother attacked roared and was about to attack when Daisuke shouted at him. "Flame sit!" he looked at his mother confused but he nevertheless obeyed stopping his attack and Daisuke walked towards the female dragon slowly. "Hey there," she said but the dragon growled spotting Daisuke's meteor-hook swords, Daisuke saw this and she slowly removed them from her back setting them down on the ground and she held her hand out in front of her. "It's okay. I'm not going to hurt you. I want to help." She told the dragon who stopped growling but backed away slightly making Daisuke stop walking but she kept her hand out.

"Careful Daisuke," Suki said and Daisuke smiled and nodded before turning back to the dragon.

"You look to be about two years old just like my son, Flame. You must've hatched in this world all alone with no one else but know this; you're not alone. Other than Flame there are two other dragons living with me and if you'll allow me I can give you a new home where you can be with your own kind. What do you say?" she asked the female dragon who stared at Daisuke for a second then at Flame and she could see the love he's experienced from this woman in front of her, she looked back to Daisuke and walked forwards placing her snout against Daisuke's outstretched hand making her smile. "Thank you for your trust. How about I give you a name now?" she asked making the female dragon look into Daisuke's eyes. "Hmm…I got it. How do you like the name Ruby?" she asked making the dragon now named Ruby's tail wag like a happy puppy as she licked Daisuke causing her to giggle before she wiped the slobber off her face. "Okay let's head back to Yu Dao," she said.

"Yeah knowing Zuko he's probably worried about you," Suki said walking down the mountain with Flame and Daisuke following, Daisuke then turned back to Ruby and waved.

"Come on Ruby. Let's go, the rest of your life is ahead of you." Ruby smiled and followed after her queen. Meanwhile Aang, Sokka, Katara and Toph were flying back to Ba Sing Se on Appa.

"Ugh," Sokka said watching as his sister and Aang held hands.

"What everyone does it," Toph said as she picked her nose.

"I was talking about them not yo—," Sokka said turning his head and seeing Toph picking her nose. "Oh yeah that too," he added before Toph stood up.

"Well, it's been fun guys, but I gotta get back to my school," she said.

"Leaving already Toph?" Katara asked her.

"Yeah. Someone's gotta keep the lily livers – I mean, my students in line." She answered.

"Wait! You can't leave me alone with them! The oogie-osity's only gonna get worse after you're gone! How am I supposed to keep my food down?!" Sokka whispered to her.

"Well, you could come with me." Toph replied with a grin and Sokka hugged her tightly.

"Thank you! You're a lifesaver," he said gratefully before turning to Aang and Katara. "Katara? Aang? I'm going with Toph. To check out her school, not because you two are giving me the oogies or anything."

"Hm? Oh! That sounds good! We'll pick you up on the way back from Ba Sing Se." Katara told him.

"Just give Appa a second to land you guys," Aang said jumping onto the bison's head as Toph sniffed the air.

"Don't bother, Twinkle Toes. We're close enough to the ground. I can smell the trees near my school. Come on!" she shouted grabbing Sokka's hand and jumping off Appa pulling Sokka along with her who screamed. "I gotta let go of you, but don't worry!" she shouted to him.

"I'm worried I'm worried!" he shouted as Toph Earthbent a slide of Earth for her and Sokka and both slide down it with Sokka screaming until he made it to the end of the slide with a thud and he groaned.

"I told you not to worry," Toph said as Sokka stood up holding his back.

"I tasted my own stomach when we were halfway down, but by the end - not a bad way to travel. So how'd you come up with the idea of starting your own school?" he asked walking with Toph towards her school.

"After teaching Aang, I realized how fulfilling teaching can be! I mean, I've helped him reach his potential as an Earthbender, as the Avatar, and as a human being! I felt like I've made a difference! So when I discovered Metalbending, I knew in my heart that I had to share it with the world! It was almost like…a calling," Toph answered.

"Aw, who're you kidding you just like telling people what to do," Sokka said making Toph grin as they arrived at the school to see Penga, Ho Tun and The Dark One leaving the school.

"Yeah. And yelling. I love yelling. Just where do you think you lily livers are going?! Don't tell me you were trying to escape – I mean, give up on your training! I'm gonna put you in so much hurt you won't remember what day of the week it is!" she shouted to her students stomping her foot.

"Sifu Toph!" Penga shouted scared.

"Oh, this is bad! We're so doomed!" Ho Tun said as Penga saw Sokka and smiled.

"Sifu Toph who is that?" she asked with a smile.

"Oh, yeah. Sokka, these are my students: Ho Tun, Penga and The Dark One," Toph introduced her students.

"Your biceps are enormous!" Penga shouted to Sokka with hearts in her eyes while Sokka smiled.

"Oh, I don't know about enormous biceps. Impressively large, maybe-," he said flexing his arm before he shivered slightly. "I just had a feeling someone's going to kill me," he said.

"That would be Suki," Toph said. "You know you're girlfriend?" she asked and Sokka gulped.

"So what were we talking about before all this nice-to-meet-you garbage? That's right. We were talking about hurt," Toph said cracking her knuckles while grinning mercilessly at her students.

"Please, Sifu Toph! We weren't trying to run away, we got kicked out," Ho Tun explained.

"They wouldn't even let me pack all my shoes first!" Penga complained.

"I hate practicing forms, but getting kicked out is the worst!" The Dark One said.

"Kicked out? By who?" Toph asked her students before marching to the school door and pushing it opening. "Get out! Get out of my school! Now!" she demanded the three students and old man who was teaching them Firebending.

"Who dares disturb Master Kunyo's Firebending dojo?!" the old man now known as Kunyo demanded.

"Firebending dojo?" Toph asked angrily. "This is the Beifong Metalbending Academy!" she then Earthbent under Kunyo and his students knocking them to the floor before Kunyo got to his feet launching a blast of fire at the Beifong Family symbol on the wall revealing a Fire Nation symbol.

"My students and I left this building in deference to the Harmony Restoration Movement! But now that the Fire Lord has recovered his senses, and withdrawn his support for the movement - we've come to reclaim back what is rightfully ours!" he shouted before Toph punched the wall making the symbol of the Earth Kingdom appear over the Fire Nation symbol.

"Fire Lord Zuko's off his gourd! You people don't belong here! This is the Earth Kingdom's – And the world's – first school of Metalbending!" she shouted making Kunyo chuckle.

"Psh. Shame on you for selling such a fantasy to these poor dupes, young lady! Everyone knows that "Metalbending" doesn't exist," he said before Toph Metalbent a spear behind Kunyo around his head making him shout in shock.

"Master Kunyo!" one of his students shouted.

"Watch carefully, disciples! Your master's about to teach this dirt girl a lesson!" Kunyo said creating a fireball above his hand.

"Bring it on," Toph said preparing to Earthbend at Kunyo until Sokka ran in between them both.

"Okay, everybody calm down! If you two start fighting, there won't be a building left to fight over! This place is meant to be a school, right? It seems to me that it ought to go to whichever school is most effective," he told them both.

"Good point! Rather than settle this with a match between the teachers, we'll settle it with a match between our students! A match to the death!" Kunyo said making his students cheer while Toph's students were nervous.

"We're doomed," Ho Tun said.

"Does this mean I won't get my shoes back?" Penga asked.

"Figures it would end this way," The Dark One said glumly.

"Well instead of that how about a match that only ends one team forces a member of the other team off their feet?" Sokka suggested.

"Well I guess as long as we get to beat people up," one of Kunyo's students said.

"So we're only partially doomed," Ho Tun said relieved.

"Whatever I still hate it," The Dark One said

"Come back in three days, Master Kunyo. We'll have the match then." Sokka told Kunyo.

"Three days why should we wait?" he asked.

"If you want to go right now pointy-head then it would just be between you and me," Toph told him cracking her knuckles.

"Three days it is," Kunyo said with a frown walking out of the building with his students following him. "Before we leave, disciples of Kunyo, let's give our opponents the Kunyo Salute!" he said and his three students jumped onto each other's shoulders bending flames to their sides.

"Beware, enemies of Kunyo for we shall roast you in the flames of your own defeat!" the students said making Sokka's jaw drop.

"We're doomed," To Hun said.

"Pretty much," Toph replied. "Man I wish Daisuke was here, she'd be able to get you three lily livers to Metalbend even though she's a Firebender," she mumbled to herself.

Meanwhile Appa was flying over Ba Sing Se as the sun began setting. "Find yourself a nice, quiet hill to spend the night, okay, buddy? I'll whistle for you tomorrow after our meeting with the Earth King." Aang told the bison who growled and flew off as Aang flew down on his gliding while Katara hung onto him and Momo flew after them.

"Now we just need a place to stay tonight," Katara said.

"I think Iroh has a few spare rooms we can use," Aang replied.

"And do you remember where his teashop is?" Katara asked her boyfriend.

"I think we go…" Aang said pointing in a direction before a voice was heard cutting him off.

"Oh, my gosh! Is it, like, really you?" both Aang and Katara turned to see two girls walking towards him. "I can't, like, believe it? It's really you, with your flying lemur and everything? I had, like, this recurring dream where I'd wake up and you'd just be there, all magically and stuff? I'd be like, "Wow, you're really here?" But then I'd be like, "Oh no, it's just a dream?" But now, it's real and everything? So, like, wow?" the girl who had spoken before said.

"I'm sorry have we met?" Aang asked the girls.

"Oh my gosh! It's, like, me who should be sorry? I'm Hei-Won, co-president and co-founder of the Official Avatar Aang Fan Club, Ba Sing Se chapter? And this is Won-Yee, my fellow co-president and co-founder? Can I just say, your lemur is, like, sooo cute?" Hei-Won said as Won-Yee squealed happily.

"Hey did you hear that Katara they started a fan club for me," Aang said to Katara who frowned.

"Wonderful," she said sarcastically as Aang bowed to the two girls.

"Nice to meet you both! I'm Aang! My lemur's name is Momo." He said humbly.

"Momo is the cutest name ever," Hei-Won said.

"Ahem," Katara said.

"Oh this is Katara my girlfriend," Aang introduced and Won-Yee bowed to Katara.

"What an honour it is to meet Avatar Aang's first girlfriend," she said.

"Thank you...wait what do you mean by first?" Katara asked noticing Won-Yee's smirk which made her nervous. "Uh we should get going Aang. It's getting late, and we still need to find a place to sleep for the night," she said pushing Aang away.

"Oh my gosh! You guys are, like, looking for a place to stay? It'd be sooo amazing if you, like, stayed at our clubhouse," Hei-Wong said.

"Sure where is it?" Aang asked her with a smile.

"It's just down that street, we like made it to look like the Western Air Temple, because most of our club members are girls and everything," Hei-Wong answered pointing down the street.

"Wow! I'd love to see it!" Aang said happily following the two girls to their clubhouse and saw most of the furniture was upside and the symbol of the Air Nomads was on a banner outside. "You said this is modeled after the Eastern Air Temple?" Aang asked the two girls.

"Yeah. Won-Yee did, like all the decorating. To make it look upside down and everything, like how the real temple is," Hei-Wong answered with a smile as Aang walked back and she blushed. "Do...do you like it?" she asked him and Aang smiled and bowed to the two girls.

"I love it. Thank you, official Avatar Aang fan club! I'm flattered." he said before grabbing Katara's hand. "Come on Katara, let's check it out," he said.

"I can't wait," Katara mumbled sarcastically. Meanwhile back in the Fire Nation in the prison where Ozai was held, Zuko sat in front of the cell while his father drank some tea his son had brought to him.

"Do you remember those family vacations we used to take on Ember Island? Once, at the beach-you couldn't have been older than three at the time-we saw a hawk attacking a turtle-crab by the water." Ozai said pausing to sip his tea. "You ran as fast as your little legs could carry you to rescue that turtle-crab. Even then, you possessed an affinity for the weak. But then, when you had the turtle-crab safely in your arms, you hesitated. The hawk looked at you with hungry eyes, and you realised you were condemning it to starve. You didn't know whether to side with the hawk or the turtle-crab. Before you could reach a decision, a giant wave washed over you and carried you out into the ocean. I dove in myself to save you. You spent the rest of the day in your mother's arms, vomiting sea-water." once Ozai had finished his tale he took another sip of his tea as Zuko got to his feet frustration on his face.

"I came here looking for advice. I want to know how you were able to sleep peacefully in spite of the pressures of the throne."

"And I told you," Ozai replied.

"I don't see how a family story…"

"I'm tired, Zuko. We're done talking for now. Perhaps we will continue tomorrow." Ozai said annoying Zuko who growled and walked out of the cell. "Bring more tea," Ozai told his son before Zuko slammed the cell door in anger while Ozai smirked.

The end of the chapter

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	3. Chapter 3

The Promise Chapter Three

I don't own Digimon or Avatar: Last Airbender

Chapter Three

"Yaah!" Ho-Tun, Penga and The Dark One shouted thrusting their hands towards a metal coin each placed on poles of bamboo.

"Nothing. No movement at all." Ho Tun said sadly.

"How am I supposed to impress Sokka?" Penga whined.

"I hate failure." The Dark One grumbled.

"This is bad! I can't focus on forms with doom coming in two days!" Ho Tun shouted in despair.

"I'm sick of hearing you talk about doom! I'm not practicing with you anymore!" Penga told him.

"I hate...I hate...all of this!" The Dark One said looking away from Penga and Ho Tun.

"So these were the most qualified students you could find?" Sokka asked Toph as he and her watched the three students from another room.

"It wasn't me," Toph said lifting her shirt sleeve up. "It was this,"

"Oh your space bracelet," Sokka said looking at Toph's bracelet. "I remember I gave you that when I finished training with Master Piandao."

"Yup. About a year ago, I noticed that every now and then, when I was in public, my bracelet would shiver the tiniest bit." Toph explained walking out of the school and Sokka followed. "I could only feel it when I was really paying attention. Eventually I figured out that this would only happen around people who were super emotional. So I had an idea, maybe those people who could move my bracelet could also become metalbenders. I started recruiting them to my school."

"So you found Penga, Ho-Tun and The Dark One in Yu Dao?" Sokka asked and Toph nodded.

"I found Ho-Tun in a ramen shop; he had just found a spider-wasp in his ramen...actually more like half a spider-wasp. Penga was in the marketplace arguing over some shoes with one of her family's servants. And I found The Dark One looking at people in a street corner,"

That sounds about right. Katara found out she was a waterbender because the ice would crack whenever I made her mad, I mean super emotional," Sokka said walking back to the school with Toph.

"Yeah, but there's a problem with that method of finding students that way. Think about it, what kind of people get super emotional in public?" Toph asked opening the door to see Ho-Tun, Penga and The Dark One still arguing.

"Crazy people?" Sokka asked.

"Crazy people!" Toph answered. "And even worse the whole thing is just a theory! Nobody in that sorry group of lily livers has moved the smallest piece of metal since they've been here! Not even a coin! Ugh sometimes I wish Daisuke was here, she's a better teacher than I am,"

"Now don't get ahead of yourself. You know I don't like to brag," Sokka said.

"You love to brag," Toph replied.

"Okay, I love to brag, but Sokka of the Southern Water Tribe is just what this school needs," Sokka told her.

"What're you talking about?" Toph asked him before continuing. "You're not a bender of anything, let alone metal,"

"Oh but I am a bender. I may not be able to bend the elements like the rest of the Gaang, but I can bend people's motivation! I'm a motivational bender!" Sokka said proudly.

"That's a stretch." Toph said.

"Hey who led the invasion on the day of black sun? Who started training warriors in his own tribe when he was just a boy? Sokka the Motivational Bender that's who!" Sokka said. "Just explain to me metalbending basics. Then leave your students to me," soon he was standing in front of Toph's three students while holding a coin in his hand. "To be a metalbender you need to not only see the metal, but hear the metal, taste the metal and be the metal!" he told them.

"That doesn't even make sense," Ho-Tun said scratching his head.

"Why should we listen to you? You're not a bender," The Dark One said.

"Hey don't talk to my future boyfriend that way!" Penga shouted defending Sokka who sweat dropped.

"I've already told you guys, I am a bender, a bender of motivation," he said.

"Hey Sokka am I doing this right? I'm rolling my eyes at you," Toph said pointing to her eyes.

"Look people can we just give this a shot? Let's start with the defending-palm technique!" Sokka told the three students who bent their knees. "First take a strong and steady stance just like Sifu Toph taught you. Next, gather your chi deep in your gut, feel your gut heat up like a furnace. Now let your gut furnace refine your senses! Close your eyes and feel the earth around you. Then feel the metal within that earth!" he then tossed three metal coins towards Ho-Tun, Penga and The Dark One. "Now feel the metal coins coming at you and stop them in mid-air! Come on Team Beifong, metalbend!" he shouted but the coins hit the students in their foreheads making them cry out in pain.

"I'm bleeding! My forehead's going to get infected and then-" Ho-Tung said on his knees holding his forehead.

"You'd better buy me some shoes to make up for this!" Penga shouted at Sokka.

"Do I even need to say anything?" The Dark One asked Sokka rubbing his forehead.

"I know The Dark One. You hate me," Sokka grumbled as Toph punched his arm hard.

"Nice going, O great bender of people's motivation! Amazing what a difference you can make," she said.

"You're not very helpful right now," Sokka said rubbing his arm. Meanwhile back in Ba Sing Se, Aang and Katara were sitting in the clubhouse and Aang was demonstrating his Air Scooter to the club members while Katara sat against the wall upset.

"And this is the Air Scooter. It's a technique I invented when I was training at the Southern Air Temple. It's part of how I earned my Airbending Tattoos." Aang explained to the girls.

"Avatar Aang is so dreamy," one girl said and the other girls nodded. Aang began to create small spheres of air in his hands.

"And here's a new technique I've been working on, first I make a handful of Air Marbles...and then I turn them all into Air Scooters," Aang said breathing a gust of wind turning the Air Marbles into Air Scooters which lifted some of the girls onto them and they all gasped in awe.

"Um Avatar Aang," Hei-Wong said walking towards him.

"Good morning Hei-Wong, come join the fun," Aang told her.

"I'd like to like introduce you to somebody. This is my fellow co-president and co-founder Yee-Li, she's wanted to meet you like forever," Hei-Wong said introducing a girl beside her.

"Another co-president and co-founder, how many of you are there?" Aang asked and all the girls in the clubhouse raised their hands.

"It is such an honour Avatar Aang. I want to show you something I bought from a travelling merchant a few years ago," Yee-Li told Aang handing him a flute.

"Wow an Airbender's flute, Monk Gyatso used to have one just like this," Aang said happily.

"I knew it just had to be from the Airbenders, do you know how to play?" Yee-Li asked and Aang nodded taking the flute and he began to play music with it and all the girls in the clubhouse began dancing to the music and Katara grumbled standing up and she grabbed her boyfriend.

"I don't mean to ruin the moment Aang, but didn't we come here to meet the Earth King?" she asked him.

"Oh you're probably right," Aang said. "We should get going." Aang, Katara and Momo walked out of the clubhouse. "Weren't they amazing?!" Aang asked as he stopped walking. "I know it's just a silly fan club, but for a moment there, it almost felt like...Like I was at home again. With my people. Thanks for agreeing to stay there for the night sweetie, it meant a lot to me," Aang told a shocked Katara

"Don't thank my Aang, I don't deserve it," Katara said and the couple walked off. Meanwhile back at the prison, Ozai looked up to see Zuko walk in with some more tea before he sat down.

"I stayed up all night thinking about what you said," Zuko said looking down at his cup. "At the beach, I was overwhelmed by my circumstances because I couldn't decide which side to take. I should have sided with the hawk. It was strong and noble, much like the Fire Nation. It had earned its meal. But I've already done that, father! I'm no longer neglecting the needs of my own people, as I did when I first took the throne! And I still can't sleep!" he shouted.

"You're only partially correct in your assessment. Your sleeplessness does indeed stem from your inability to choose sides, to distinguish what is right. But you're wrong about the hawk." Ozai told him sipping his tea.

"So you're saying I should have defended the turtle-crab? I should have sided with the weaker of the two?" Zuko asked confused.

"What I'm saying is...there is no right or wrong apart from what you decide. Whom you choose to defend deserves to be defended simply because you chose them. You are the Fire Lord. What you choose by definition, is right." Ozai answered with a smirk.

"No! Right and wrong are bigger than me, or you, or even the Avatar! And I believe that the Avatar, the Earth King, and I can come closest to what's right by working together!" Zuko told his father.

"I've heard rumours about this little meeting of yours." Ozai said pointing to Zuko. "Do you think the Earth King, after being humiliated time and time again by our mighty nation and his own incompetence will be reasonable? Do you think he'll treat the remaining Fire Nation colonies fairly? In an attempt to restore his own dignity, he'll send out his army to crush them," Ozai said closing his fist. "If you truly are the Fire Lord, you will defend the Fire Nation citizens of Yu Dao ferociously! Not simply because they are your people, but because they are an expression of your will!"

"I'm going to wait!" Zuko shouted. "And my patience will be rewarded with a peaceful resolution for everyone! Even as we speak, the Avatar is-"

"The Avatar is a relic of a bygone age! He wants to keep the world frozen in time by denying the inevitable victory of the strong over the weak!" Ozai said.

"Avatar Aang is my friend! More often than not, he's been on the side that's right! I trust him!" Zuko said.

"More than you trust yourself? What about your wife? Do you trust her more than you trust yourself?" Ozai asked and Zuko growled and walked out of the room slamming the door behind him and as he left the prison Suki saw him leave and she sighed.

"Zuko...what are you doing?" she thought before walking off. The next morning back at Toph's Metalbending Academy, Ho-Tun, Penga and The Dark One were all in their stances again as Toph stood to the side.

"Look alive, lily livers! Take your horse stance, steady and strong!" Toph shouted. "Make your gut furnace and use it to feel the metal right in front of you, now kick like your life depends on it!" she shouted and her students kicked at the bamboo poles holding the coins but they didn't move again. "Not even a shiver," Toph mumbled frustrated.

"Aren't you going to yell at us?" Ho-Tun asked.

"No," Toph answered walking outside to find Sokka standing there. "Take a break you three and I mean it," she told her students.

"We've taken three breaks today already, the challenge is tomorrow," The Dark One told her but she ignored him and walked over to Sokka.

"You said your students were able to move your bracelet when they were super emotional right?" he asked and Toph nodded. "Well in order to make them metalbenders we just need to make them even more super emotional,"

"How are you going to do that? Wear two headbands?" Toph joked with a grin.

"No it's simple. Remember what you did during your final battle against Ozai? In the cabin of the Fire Nation airship? I need you to do something like that! If only we had a bunch of metal around here," Sokka said.

"There's a bunker full of metal under the school," Toph said leading Sokka down under the school to the bunker and he carried a lamp and a chart.

"Look at all this Fire Nation armour, but who would make armour for kids?" he asked holding a small helmet in his hands.

"A weirdo like Kunyo, that's who," Toph answered, Sokka nodded and tossed the helmet away and held out the chart in his hand.

"So here's what I need you to make with your metalbending powers!" he told Toph who turned and waved her hand in front of her eyes.

"Hello, how many times do I have to remind you that I'm blind?" she asked.

"Right, sorry. How about I just describe it to you?" Sokka answered and Toph nodded and as Sokka described what was on the paper Toph began to work bending the metal and when she was done Sokka grinned. "Toph Beifong, you've outdone yourself this time."

"Just call me the greatest earthbender of all time," Toph said removing the dust from her hands while Sokka laughed. "No seriously call me it,"

"Toph you're the greatest earthbender of all time," Sokka said making her smirk.

"Thank you," Toph said.

"Now how can we make your students metalbend, for Ho Tun it's easy," Sokka said.

"Doom," Toph replied.

"Penga?" Sokka asked.

"Shoes," Toph answered.

"The Dark One is the only one I can't figure out," Sokka said before Toph whispered into his ear making him sweat. "Seriously that's what his parents named him?" he asked in disbelief and Toph nodded. "No wonder he hates everything." Meanwhile back in Ba Sing Se, Aang and Katara were in front of Earth King Kuei.

"Greetings Earth King Kuei," Aang said bowing slightly to the king.

"Avatar Aang, Katara of the Southern Water Tribe, I heard it's much too long," The Earth King said with a smile standing up. "I heard you were in the Earth Kingdom dealing with the situation at Yu Dao. Thank you for all your help with the removal of that colony, the remaining few seem to be more difficult than-,"

"That's why we're here, Your Majesty. We'd like to set up a meeting between you and Fire Lord Zuko. Yu Dao...is still there," Katara told the King.

"For now," Aang added making the Earth King frown and rub his chin.

"So then, the Fire Lord persists in denying the movement his support! He wants to keep his colonies!" he said making Aang face palm in frustration.

"Your Majesty, I'm on your side! The people of the Fire Nation don't belong in your kingdom, so the Harmony Restoration Movement has to continue! With a little convincing, I'm sure Fire Lord Zuko-," he said to the King before Katara spoke up.

"Fire Lord Zuko has legitimate concerns about the colonials who still live there! We really need to sit down and talk through our options. Maybe there's something we missed." Kuei frowned in anger not liking what he was hearing. As the meeting was going on Sokka and Toph's students were sitting around a campfire.

"This is bad. Why do we have to be outside? It's so doom-y," Ho Tun said shaking in fear.

"Ho Tun that's not even a word," Sokka told him. "And besides a campfire is the perfect setting for Team Beifong bonding,"

"I think it's romantic," Penga said wrapping her arms around Sokka's who raised an eyebrow.

"No it's not," he replied.

"Where's Sifu Toph? Shouldn't she be here for this team bonding?" The Dark One asked.

"She'll be here soon! She just had to, uh ... Take care of some sifu-ish type stuff first. Hey, do you guys remember that flying boar banner that used to be in the training room? The one Kunyo burned down? Anyone know why it was there?" Sokka asked the three students.

"That's the symbol of the Beifong family," Penga answered with a giggle.

"No! I mean, yes it is, but that's not why the banner was there! Sifu Toph hung that banner up to placate the winged boar spirit that haunts this mountain!" Sokka said.

"Winged boar spirit!?" Ho Tun exclaimed in fear.

"What're you talking about?" The Dark One asked him.

"Yes! The winged boar spirit! The ancient harbinger of doom and eater of fine footwear!" Sokka shouted.

"Doom and footwear!?" Penga and Ho Tun shouted terrified while The Dark One rolled his eyes.

"And now that Kunyo has burned down the banner we can expect the spirit to show up any moment now," Sokka said as a large winged boar made of metal roared and approached the group of four with a lot of shoes in its arm.

"My shoes, how did it find my shoes?" Penga asked terrified as the Winged Boar Spirit began eating her shoes. "No! Not the jade platforms, anything but the jade platforms!" she shouted froth coming out of her mouth as she cried while Ho Tun fainted and The Dark One crossed his arms.

"This is ridiculous. I know that's you in there, Sifu Toph." he said and a hatch opened and Toph poked her head out and smirked.

"Very perceptive, The Dark One! Or should I say ...Moo-Chee-Goo-Chee-La-Poo-Chee! The Third!" she shouted making The Dark One's eyes widen and he fell to his knees.

"By uttering that name...you've lodged a splinter into my soul," he said beginning to sob.

"This is going to be better than I'd hoped! Everybody feel all that emotion coursing through your bodies? I want you to direct it at these coins! Let's metalbend, Team Beifong!" Sokka shouted taking out some coins and throwing them towards the three students but they didn't respond. "Team Beifong?" he asked.

"My shoes...my shoes," Penga whimpered.

"This isn't working like I hoped," Sokka grumbled rubbing his forehead. Meanwhile Aang and Katara were still in the Earth Palace and eating some food as the Earth King walked over to them.

"Avatar Aang and Katara, thank you for giving me the time to ponder our present situation." he told them.

"No problem your majesty. So when should we set up our meeting with Fire Lord Zuko?" Aang asked and the Earth King looked down with regret.

"I'm sorry, but you're not going to like what I have to say. All my life I've been weak - so weak that my most trusted advisor was able to hide a hundred years' war behind a curtain of lies! Well, I'm tired of being weak! It's time for me to be a man!" he said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Katara asked furiously.

"Fire Lord Zuko and Fire Lady Daisuke promised they would see the Harmony Restoration Movement through to the very end. Now they've turned that promise into a lie! Why should I meet with them- So they can tell me more lies?! I will not stand for any more lies! I will order General How to lead my troops to Yu Dao and enforce harmony!" The Earth King answered.

"Are you out of your mind your majesty, doing that will be seen as a declaration of war," Aang told him.

"The Fire Nation residents of Yu Dao will either leave my kingdom peacefully or face the most dire of consequences! That is my decision! If you are not with me, Avatar Aang, then I can only assume you are against me!" The Earth King told Aang before walking off and Aang and Katara shared a look of worry. Back at Toph's metalbending academy, Toph was sitting on the stairs as Sokka walked over to her.

"Hey there you are, I've got another idea," Sokka said.

"You ever think about metal?" Toph asked him.

"Not really all I think about is meat whenever my mind wanders," he answered.

"Metal is just a part of earth that's been purified and refined. But how does it become like that? By getting heated, melted, and pounded. By going through pressure and pain. I discovered metalbending in a tiny metal cell, when Master Yu and Xin Fu were taking me back to my parents. That whole trip, all I could think about was how my parents expected me to be something I'm not. Sure, they wanted me to be helpless, but they also wanted me to be a cultured, well-mannered, soft-spoken little lady. All I felt was pressure and pain. When I brought Ho Tun, Penga, and The Dark One to this school, I expected them to become metalbenders! I was going to make them tough enough to move the most stubborn part of the most stubborn element! I expected them to be something they're not." Toph said and her students who were packing their belongings up heard her speak and they froze. "How is what I'm doing to them different from what my parents did to me? Maybe the Beifong Metalbending Academy is just a way for me to pass all that pressure and pain to someone else." she then stood up and walked into her school. "When Kunyo comes tomorrow I'm going to go up to him and sit down, he can have his school back,"

"Toph wait," Sokka shouted as Toph slammed the door to her school and Sokka looked at the door sadly. The next morning Toph and Sokka were waiting in the school as Kunyo and his students walked through the door with the metal wrapped around Kunyo's head still there with flags with the Fire Nation symbol on them.

"Greetings, enemies of Kunyo! Prepare to be roasted in the flames of your own defeat!" Kunyo shouted.

"Nice headgear," Sokka said.

"I find it a convenient way to carry flags. I can take it off anytime I want. Where are your students, young lady? It's time to begin our deadly match to the ... uh, sit!" Kunyo said.

"I don't know where they are, but it doesn't matter you can have your school back Kunyo," Toph said beginning to sit down making Kunyo laugh.

"I knew it," he said as the door was slammed open by Ho Tun, Penga and The Dark One.

"Sifu Toph don't sit down!" Ho Tun shouted as a metal coin on one of the bamboo poles flew and hit Toph in the leg.

"Ho Tun, did you just metalbend?" she asked her student.

"He figured it out!" Penga cheered.

"Yeah I think he did," The Dark One said.

"Disciples of Kunyo attack!" Kunyo shouted and his three students jumped onto each other and began to fire bend at Toph's students who ran for cover.

"Don't run now Team Beifong, it's time to metalbend!" Sokka shouted throwing coins at Ho Tun, Penga and The Dark One who managed to redirect them at the students with Ho Tun bending two hitting the student on top of the tower in the head knocking them down and Penga metalbent a coin hitting another student.

"This is fun," Penga said with a smile as The Dark One metalbent the rest of the coins hitting the students who threw fireballs but they only heated up the coins making them cry out in pain as the hot metal struck them.

"Stop firebending my fellow disciples we're only making the coins hotter," One of the students shouted.

"Don't stop firebending my disciples!" Kunyo shouted before Toph's student's metalbent the coins at him making him cry out in pain and he ran out of the school with his students following.

"We did it!" Penga cheered.

"Wow I'm impressed," Sokka said with a smile and Toph nodded.

"Sifu Toph. Last night, the three of us were packed up and ready to leave. Then we overheard what you said about us." The Dark One told her.

"But I didn't say anything nice about you at all," Toph replied confused.

"You said you expected us to be metalbenders," The Dark One told her.

"Nobody's ever expected me to be anything other than a ... a ... a wimp." Ho Tun said.

"A brat," Penga said.

"A dark and handsome hunk," The Dark One said.

"Really?" Sokka asked him.

"Why can't people see I'm more than just a pretty face?! I have the soul of a poet!" The Dark One answered.

"Sifu Toph, you're the first person to believe that we can become more than what we are." Ho Tun said and Toph had her back to them and she quickly wiped a tear from her eye before she turned to her students.

"What're you lily livers waiting for, then?! You think getting some coins to fly through the air makes you metalbending masters?! Get back to practice!" she shouted and her students bowed.

"Yes Sifu Toph," they said.

Meanwhile Zuko was standing in his throne room of the old royal palace where he held his meetings and where Daisuke taught children firebending. He stared at the flames in front of his before he sighed and waved his hand extinguishing the flames. "This isn't me," he said to himself.

"You're right it's not you...it's your father," he turned to see Daisuke walking towards him with Suki and Flame behind her, Zuko smiled and he walked over to her when she held a hand out stopping him. "I know about your secret meetings with Ozai, Zuko."

"How did you find out?" Zuko asked her shocked.

"Suki told me. She saw you leaving the prison when I asked her to fill in for a guard who was out sick ," she answered making her husband sigh.

"I'm sorry, you weren't supposed to know," he said looking at the expressionless look on his wife's face.

"Well I did find out and let me ask you this; what the hell were you thinking?!" Daisuke asked making Zuko step back at his wife's tone.

"I needed advice and I didn't know who else to turn to. You were busy with your Firebending academy and uncle is in Ba Sing Se," Zuko told her and Daisuke saw the look of defeat on his face.

"I understand," she said turning and walking away with Suki and Flame following her.

"Where are you going?!" Zuko shouted panic in his voice making his wife turn and look at him.

"I'm going back to my academy," she replied making his eyes widen.

"You're not going to leave me?" he asked her.

"Of course not. You're my husband and I love you but I won't get involved with a war that might be caused by this. Just make sure you do the right thing, I know in my heart that you will," Daisuke answered leaving the throne room and her husband to his thoughts.

"Fire Lord Zuko!" a voice shouted running into the throne room and a soldier bowed in front of Zuko. "A message has arrived from the spies you sent to the Earth Kingdom, your suspicions are confirmed. The Earth King's army now marches towards Yu Dao," the soldier told him.

"Father…you were right," Zuko thought before he clenched his fist. "Daisuke...I promise you that I'll do my best to make this right." The next morning Zuko was on a Fire Nation battleship sailing towards the Earth Kingdom with the rest of the Fire Nation armada and at the same time the Earth King and his army were marching towards Yu Dao with the Earth King in an airship both sides heading to war.

The end of the chapter

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